LNP – Hard Rock Cafe to make Sri Lankan debut at Colombo City Centre by 2H25

US restaurant chain Hard Rock Cafe has sealed a deal with Abans and will be entering Sri Lanka, marking its debut in the island nation.

Speaking exclusively to Mirror Business, Abans Group Head of Investment Supun Perera said that plans are underway to set it up at Colombo City Centre (CCC) by the second half of this year (2H25). 

He shared that Abans has expressed interest and is subsequently shortlisted.

Hard Rock Inc.’s website also confirms its opening in Colombo this year, though it does not specify an estimated month.

During the process, One Galle Face Mall and Havelock City Mall were also in talks; however, Abans was selected to procure the deal.

“They are mostly located in developed countries. They serve liquor, have live music bands and the concept is such. We’re bringing that same concept here at CCC. That is one of the new things we are looking at,” shared Perera.  

When asked about the investment, he said that pending the bill of quantities and a few other aspects such as architectural designs, it would take another fortnight to finalise the amount.

“If you look at the product prices, we’re still working on the product range but it will be benchmarked to the current market prices,” he added.

The franchisee dealmaking started about four months ago and with the venue being an attraction among tourists as well, Abans decided to make it a focal point, Perera said.

“The target will be a mix of locals and foreigners. I expect it to cater to a range where the locals can also patronise,” he added. As a growing global chain, Hard Rock Cafe is steadily expanding across South Asia, with branches in major cities in India.

The restobar will join a list of half a dozen U.S.-based fast-food outlets in Colombo, including major brands like Pizza Hut, KFC and Burger King, to name a few.